gone.”
My whole body trembled. Tears streamed down my cheeks. “Are you sure? How do you know?”
Xavier held the phone, glass side up, under his nose and then showed me. “Breathing would steam it up.”
Lily said, “I’ve called 911; they’re on the way.”
Frank slung an arm around Lily and kissed the top of her head.
Cat said, “I’ll be right back. I’m calling José.”
Xavier ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I’m sorry.”
I hung my head. “He can’t be. No. No.”
Lily asked Xavier, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Xavier stood. His hair fell into his eyes. His T-shirt was crumpled, and his jeans hung loosely over his slim hips.
Lily held her hand on her chest. “Oh my. Miss Bezu, this is so very sad.”
“I know.” I gulped as though a grapefruit was lodged in my throat.
“The poor man. Did he have a heart attack or something like that?” Lily asked.
“Hardly.” Xavier cleared his throat. “It looks like he choked. Or he could’ve had an anaphylactic reaction.”
“A what?” Lily asked Xavier.
“Honey, I just studied this. It’s an allergic reaction. Many foods can trigger anaphylaxis,” Frank said to Lily. He pointed to the empty muffin plate. “Maybe Miss Bezu’s muffins killed him.”
“Oh no. Frank, you’re wrong.” I looked down at Mr. Phong. “My food does not kill people.”
“Wouldn’t that be funny?” Frank chortled. “Miss Bezu’s murderous muffins.”
Lily smacked Frank on his chest. “Frank, be nice. Miss Bezu is a great cook. Plus, a man just lost his life. You are not being compassionate at all.”
“Sorry, Miss Bezu. That was totally out of line. I’m so tired it’s making me insane.” Frank kissed Lily’s cheek. “I’m just saying. He was crazy about the muffins.”
“I’m sure Mr. Phong died of something besides what he ate.” Lily shook a finger at Frank.
“Let’s let the police handle this,” I said to the group. “I’m certain there’s a logical explanation.” That surely didn’t involve me.
Xavier pulled out his cell phone. “For the record, time of death, one in the morning.” Xavier looked around the room, then moved some items and looked under the bed.
That seemed strange. I asked, “What are you looking for?”
Xavier blushed and cleared his throat. “Nothing.”
A siren pierced the night. Soon the house buzzed with activity. Three paramedics took care of Mr. Phong. A few police officers showed up and took charge of the situation and interviewed each of us.
An hour later, José joined Cat and me in the downstairs sitting room. José resembled, and often was mistaken for, the wrestler/actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He was a bomb squad detective who never had fewer than a dozen female admirers pining for his attention. They didn’t stand a chance. José preferred males.
“How is it that whenever I get a call from you, Cat, there’s some sort of trouble?” José’s eyes narrowed as he looked over at Cat.
Standing next to Cat, I said, “Happenstance?”
Cat shook her head. “Hey, it’s not that I look for problems. They sort of find me.”
“You’re a trouble magnet,” José said. “Bezu, are you okay?”
“Not really. Someone just died in my arms.” The thought of Mr. Phong lying on the floor pale and breathless caused bile to rise in my mouth.
“It wasn’t just anyone, either; it was a relative of hers,” Cat added.
“That’s right.” José waved his arms. “You have a whole houseful of people related to you.”
That was it. The lies had to stop. Now.
I bit my lip. I knew that my secret would soon be discovered now that everyone would be questioned and interviewed. I’d have to come clean to José and Cat. I was sure the police would figure out that Mr. Phong, Lily, Frank, and Xavier were all complete strangers. And renters. I wondered what the penalty would be for running an illegal boardinghouse.
I asked, “Um, José? I’m curious. What would happen if, let’s
My whole body trembled. Tears streamed down my cheeks. “Are you sure? How do you know?”
Xavier held the phone, glass side up, under his nose and then showed me. “Breathing would steam it up.”
Lily said, “I’ve called 911; they’re on the way.”
Frank slung an arm around Lily and kissed the top of her head.
Cat said, “I’ll be right back. I’m calling José.”
Xavier ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I’m sorry.”
I hung my head. “He can’t be. No. No.”
Lily asked Xavier, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Xavier stood. His hair fell into his eyes. His T-shirt was crumpled, and his jeans hung loosely over his slim hips.
Lily held her hand on her chest. “Oh my. Miss Bezu, this is so very sad.”
“I know.” I gulped as though a grapefruit was lodged in my throat.
“The poor man. Did he have a heart attack or something like that?” Lily asked.
“Hardly.” Xavier cleared his throat. “It looks like he choked. Or he could’ve had an anaphylactic reaction.”
“A what?” Lily asked Xavier.
“Honey, I just studied this. It’s an allergic reaction. Many foods can trigger anaphylaxis,” Frank said to Lily. He pointed to the empty muffin plate. “Maybe Miss Bezu’s muffins killed him.”
“Oh no. Frank, you’re wrong.” I looked down at Mr. Phong. “My food does not kill people.”
“Wouldn’t that be funny?” Frank chortled. “Miss Bezu’s murderous muffins.”
Lily smacked Frank on his chest. “Frank, be nice. Miss Bezu is a great cook. Plus, a man just lost his life. You are not being compassionate at all.”
“Sorry, Miss Bezu. That was totally out of line. I’m so tired it’s making me insane.” Frank kissed Lily’s cheek. “I’m just saying. He was crazy about the muffins.”
“I’m sure Mr. Phong died of something besides what he ate.” Lily shook a finger at Frank.
“Let’s let the police handle this,” I said to the group. “I’m certain there’s a logical explanation.” That surely didn’t involve me.
Xavier pulled out his cell phone. “For the record, time of death, one in the morning.” Xavier looked around the room, then moved some items and looked under the bed.
That seemed strange. I asked, “What are you looking for?”
Xavier blushed and cleared his throat. “Nothing.”
A siren pierced the night. Soon the house buzzed with activity. Three paramedics took care of Mr. Phong. A few police officers showed up and took charge of the situation and interviewed each of us.
An hour later, José joined Cat and me in the downstairs sitting room. José resembled, and often was mistaken for, the wrestler/actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He was a bomb squad detective who never had fewer than a dozen female admirers pining for his attention. They didn’t stand a chance. José preferred males.
“How is it that whenever I get a call from you, Cat, there’s some sort of trouble?” José’s eyes narrowed as he looked over at Cat.
Standing next to Cat, I said, “Happenstance?”
Cat shook her head. “Hey, it’s not that I look for problems. They sort of find me.”
“You’re a trouble magnet,” José said. “Bezu, are you okay?”
“Not really. Someone just died in my arms.” The thought of Mr. Phong lying on the floor pale and breathless caused bile to rise in my mouth.
“It wasn’t just anyone, either; it was a relative of hers,” Cat added.
“That’s right.” José waved his arms. “You have a whole houseful of people related to you.”
That was it. The lies had to stop. Now.
I bit my lip. I knew that my secret would soon be discovered now that everyone would be questioned and interviewed. I’d have to come clean to José and Cat. I was sure the police would figure out that Mr. Phong, Lily, Frank, and Xavier were all complete strangers. And renters. I wondered what the penalty would be for running an illegal boardinghouse.
I asked, “Um, José? I’m curious. What would happen if, let’s
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